


Nakakapagpabagabag

by Kizaito_Hiruma



Series: Akumanette Songfics [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Ah shit I forgot how to tag, Akumatized Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Gen, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila gets what she deserves, My First Work in This Fandom, Songfic, extremely ooc, ladybug!kagami, mild alya salt, mild lila salt, temporary ladybug!kagami
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:08:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23665909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kizaito_Hiruma/pseuds/Kizaito_Hiruma
Summary: Naniwala pa ako sa sinungaling mong mga mata“Ngunit kami mali rin ba?”Sino nga lang ba ako para iligtas ang iyong diwa?Nakakapagpabagabag!Marinette had a secret identity. She was Ladybug, a figure of justice and heroism. But for all her heroing and work getting rid of akumas, she was human beneath the mask. She was still a hero, doing her best to lead others on the right path, but whose fault is it when they face the consequences?
Series: Akumanette Songfics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1756453
Comments: 38
Kudos: 283





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Nakakapagpabagabag by Dasu ft. Kagamine Len
> 
> Translated lyrics:
> 
> I even believed in your lying eyes  
> “But are we also wrong?”  
> Who am I to save your souls?  
> It’s worrisome!
> 
> O boi. I actually did it. I had this idea for a while and I’m still not sure how it’ll work out, but I’m writing it holy shit. I’m sorry if this doesn’t reach your expectations. I’m not really a writer, but I hope you all enjoy this work and please, don’t be afraid to leave a comment. I read all of them and reply when I can. Please tell me if I missed any tags!

“You know, it’s really a shame I had to go by myself.” Lila exclaimed, sitting on her desk with her legs crossed. “When I told the kids Marinette wasn’t coming, they were so sad! So I made sure to keep them super happy.”

Another day, another big story from the mouth of Lila Rossi. Today’s story seemed to be how she had invited Marinette to a volunteer outreach program, been rudely refused, and managed to keep many sad orphans entertained while she was heart broken by her bully’s harsh words. As the bell marked the beginning of lunch, people crowded around the Italian. Her classmates had no problem believing that Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who drops everything at their every request, would curse at sweet Lila and tell her to go alone.

“I feel sorry for you, Lila.” 

“I’ll go with you, Lila!”

“Yeah! You don’t need to bother with a bully.”

Lila. Lila. Lila. Before she knew it, Marinette had run out the room. She dodged students making their way to the courtyard and darted into the bakery. The girl didn’t even greet her concerned parents, instead miserably climbing up the steps to her room. Tikki flew out from her purse, floating worriedly in front of her.

“I’m sorry, Tikki.” Marinette sucked in a breath and reached for her earrings. “I just need some time alone.”

The kwami looked reluctant, though after some quiet staring she sighed and allowed the girl to remove her jewels, which were placed inside a small pink box on her table. Soon, quiet sobs filled the room. The bluenette hid her teary eyes behind small hands, unaware of the dark little butterfly flitting towards her.

“Salpinx,” The low voice of Hawkmoth echoed in her mind, “you have tried time and time again to warn your peers of your dishonest classmate.”

Marinette wanted to scream. She couldn’t let herself be akumatized, not when she was the only one who could fix the mess. A cool wave of magic washed over her like ocean waves, tempting her to float on the water of his offer.

“I’m giving you the chance to right the wrong. To show your classmates the consequences of their actions.”

She should’ve been able to say no, but the pigtailed girl found herself unable to. Maybe it was the work of his Miraculous, but the more she tried to reason her way out of it, the more she wanted it. 

“Gladly.”

Dark violet bubbles blanketed her, a familiar yet foreign rush of power rising from her core. When her vision cleared, she stepped in front of a mirror to evaluate herself. Her blazer and top were replaced by a white button up shirt, the top two buttons undone and the collar popped. The shirt was tucked into black slacks with thin suspenders. In place of her flats, she wore dark leather shoes. Her hair was longer, now reaching her waist, but still held in two neat tails by two black ribbons. A short black cape draped across her shoulders and a thin red ribbon wrapped around her neck completed the look.

“Glad to know you learned some form of fashion.” Salpinx joked. Hawkmoth did not answer, though she didn’t mind his lack of response. Now akumatized, the girl hurried downstairs, surprising her parents. She shrugged off their queries on her change of outfit as a costume for a school project before slipping out the door.

There was still 10 minutes before lunch ended, but Ms Bustier always encouraged her students to be back at least 15 minutes before the bell rang so there were a few people already inside the classroom. Marinette was one of those students who often followed this advice, especially before becoming a spotted heroine. Alya eyed her friend from her seat, jumping out and circling the oddly dressed girl.

“What’s up with the costume, girl?” She raised a curious brow at Salpinx. 

“Just felt like changing it up a bit.” Salpinx smiled at Alya. 

“And the hair?” Alya took a pigtail in her hand.

“Found some extensions in my room.” She brushed her hair out of the reporter’s hand and made her way to her lone seat at the back of the room. Lila returned a few minutes later, followed by the rest of the class. 

“Oh, Marinette! I was so worried when you ran out.” The brunette exclaimed, false honey dripping from her voice. “I know you were just in a bad mood, but I really hoped you could help me in the orphanage, since my arthritis had gotten really bad.”

Salpinx held herself from correcting the liar. Marinette would’ve been powerless against Lila, but Salpinx could do better than her unakumatized self. “My bad, Lila. I’m sorry I cussed at you.” She turned to the Italian with her own sickly sweet smile. “Say, how is your arthritis?”

Lila raised her right hand to gesture and immediately hissed. An unbearable ache bloomed from her wrist. The class immediately crowded around her as Alya rushed to take her to the clinic. Lila tried to reassure her classmates with a smile before leaving. Salpinx meanwhile was satisfied. The first genuine thing Lila has ever shown in this class and it was of pain. 

Ms Mendeleiev arrived to start class and Alya and Lila returned shortly after, with Lila on some mild pain medication to soothe her wrist. Salpinx fulfilled her role as a proper student by listening to the lecture and taking down notes. Her tendency to daydream seemed to have been tamed by the akumatization. Lila, on the other hand, busy messing around on her phone with her nondominant hand, which proved to be a hassle. 

“Miss Rossi!” Their teacher stood in front of her, visibly cross. “Instead of fiddling with your phone, why don’t you pay attention? Where’s your notebook?”

“I can’t write with my arthritis, Ms Mendeleiev!” She let out an exaggerated wail. 

The woman didn’t even flinch. “Then listen intently.”

“My tinnitus was acting up again! I heard music can help with it so I was looking for a song!” As soon as she closed her mouth, a sharp ringing erupted from both her ears. Lila flinched, placing a hand over one ear. “It’s so loud!”

“Why not play that song Jagged wrote for you?” Marinette suggested. “Alya, why don’t you go look it up?”

“Good idea, Mari.” Alya happily pulled out her phone and searched for Jagged Stone, only to be shocked by what she saw. Nino tapped her arm, “Alya?” He stood up to read the screen and gasped loudly. “No way, dude.”

“What’s up, Nino?”

“Guys?”

“What’s going on?”

The class buzzed with questions. Juleka pulled out her own phone discreetly and winced. Headlines of Jagged Stone’s arrest filled the news page. Articles from both major networks and tabloids speaking on allegations of pedophilia. Markov quickly looked up the story, dictating the title for all to hear, “Jagged Stone arrested and charged with child predation.”

“Enough!” Ms Mendeleiv shouted. “We are in the middle of class. If you bring your phones out one more time, it’s off to the principal for you.” 

The class settled back into their seats with Lila begrudgingly putting away her device. Salpinx smiled at the sight as their teacher continued the lesson. From her seat, she could see the shock embedded on her classmates’ faces from the news of Jagged’s arrest. Her biggest joy, however, was the suffering she could inflict on her enemy. Salpinx could easily tell that Lila didn’t actually know anything about tinnitus or arthritis or any of the medical issues she claimed to have. She had to hold back her excitement, but she was ready to make her feel the consequences of her tales.

The end of the day was usually marked by Lila feeding her sheep more stories before they walked out the room. As usual, students crowded around her seat to hear about how she “saved countless lives with her volunteer work” or how “a handsome celebrity sent her a flirty message” or how “Ladybug was her bestest friend in the world”. 

That last one gave Salpinx an idea.

The caped girl walked over to Lila’s spot with a sweet smile, hiding her evil plan behind an air of friendliness. “Say, could you tell us about your friendship with Ladybug?”

“Yeah!”

“I love your stories!”

Alya held her phone up. “Can I post some of them on the Ladyblog?” 

Lila tossed her hair back with an arrogant smirk. “Of course! Ladybug and I are besties, after all.” With the camera now rolling, Salpinx readied herself to capture every detail the liar was going to say. “Ladybug always makes sure to keep me safe in every akuma attack. Even though I’m the Fox hero, she’s too concerned to let me fight on the frontlines.”

“Wouldn’t that leave you defenseless?” Salpinx innocently asked. Despite the question, she knew what Lila was going to say. Her eyes mischievously glinted when Lila opened her mouth.

“An akuma could take me right now and she’d definitely be there to rescue me.”

_Bingo_.

Screams from outside alerted the class of an akuma. Kim and Alya ran towards the windows to gauge the situation, only to turn back and cry for their class to evacuate. They barely had time for few to dash out the door when the akuma came crashing in through the window.

“Lila Rossi!” The akuma, a harpy-like woman, screeched. “You shall be the key in taking Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous!”

The harpy dove towards the girl, scooping her up by the shoulders with sharp talons. Lila let out a pained cry as she was carried away. Everyone watched in fear and worry, unaware of the real akuma slipping away to the courtyard.

Salpinx was ecstatic. She threw her hands up with a crazed grin. “No need to hold back, then! What other lies has she told?” Salpinx waved a hand. “No matter. I just need to draw Chat Noir out.” 

Alya grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Girl, what are you doing? We need to get Lila!” She didn’t expect Marinette to face her with such a cruel expression.

“Get Lila? Oh, Alya. Didn’t you hear?” Salpinx dropped her sickly sweet tone and adopted a more mocking voice. “Ladybug will definitely save her.”

She turned away and walked towards the exit. Alya reached for her wrist. “Mari—“

“Don’t call me that.” Her friend hissed. “It’s Salpinx now. I shall sound the trumpets of the end!” Salpinx’s cape fluttered and the girl began to float. She flew out the exit in a gust of wind, leaving Alya at a loss on the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mas sanay na akong maglakad ng nakapiring ang aking mata  
> Habang buhay ko nang pinagsisisihan na iniwan ang tanging sidha sa puso  
> Naglahong parang usok  
> 'Di na maibabalik pa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translated lyrics:  
> I’m used to walking with my eyes blindfolded more than ever  
> I’ll forever regret that I left my only respect for my heart  
> Like smoke that disappears  
> It can’t be returned
> 
> I forgot to mention this but Akumanette’s outfit is what Shio (the red haired guy in the MV of Nakakapagpabagabag) usually wears.
> 
> I went for Ladybug Kagami for this fic but I actually considered Kagami, Adrien, and to an extent, Luka. When I asked a friend she suggested Kagami cuz she already rocks red.
> 
> You might have noticed already, but I’m really bad at descriptions. As a former Google+ roleplayer, I’ve always been better with dialogue. I hope you still enjoy this regardless and thanks for reading!

Adrien was not at school when everything happened. He was at a photoshoot in the park, posing with the same grace that got his face on billboards. Much as he hated missing school, it was better than being homeschooled in his big, empty room. Vincent had instructed him to look towards some buildings and hold his position while he tried out some angles when he spotted an odd looking bird carrying… a person?

“Okay, Adrien! That’s all for today—“

“Yeah thanks gottagobye!” The blonde zipped past him, stopping only to retrieve the ring he always wore. Adrien rushed out of the park and into an alleyway.A flash of green later, Chat Noir vaulted from the narrow space and towards the bird.

“Chat Noir!” Lila cried. “It’s so good to see you. Hurry up and save me!”

He frowned, but tried not to let his displeasure show. Fortunately, he was too far for Lila to make out his expression. He sent a quick request to Ladybug and jumped around the roofs of the residential area, looking for a good angle to grab her. Just as he found a spot to jump at her, he spotted a familiar face drifting towards him.

Marinette?

“It’s Salpinx, Kitty.” Salpinx smiled at him. Crap, he thought, I must’ve said that outloud.

“Um, hello? I’m soooo afraid of heights!” Lila called at Chat Noir. Much as he’d love to ask Marinette questions, civilian safety was his top priority. He leaped and grabbed Lila, adjusting her position in his arms so he could properly hold her, then landed on a nearby roof. The harpy that held her didn’t put up a fight, instead flying to Marinette’s side. Immediately, a horrible feeling sank in his mind.

“Good job, Kitty.” Salpinx praised him, though there was something sarcastic about her words. Marinette was never sarcastic to Chat. Maybe as a joke but never in the cold manner Salpinx was giving him now. Still, he took Lila and ran off to put her somewhere safe.

“Oh, Chat. I’m sure you absolutely must hate seeing me like this.” The akuma cooed, fully aware that Chat Noir couldn’t hear her. “But I’m afraid people need to recognize the consequences of their actions.”

Salpinx raised her hand. A horn manifested in her grip, long and glinting gold in the sunlight. With a low, rumbling sound, she signaled the beginning of her judgement.

* * *

Tikki, carrying her jewels, zipped between the legs of students rushing to evacuate. She needed to find Chat Noir so they could get a temporary holder for the Ladybug earrings. She watched Marinette fall for Hawkmoth’s offer. The kwami felt guilty for remaining inside the box. When she peeked out the box to check on her, it was too late. The girl was covered in black and purple bubbles.

She caught sight of Chat Noir depositing a civilian in an empty classroom and followed him into a locker room, which was thankfully also empty. In a flash of green, Chat Noir was replaced by Plagg and a very distressed looking Adrien.

“What do I do, Plagg? I can’t fight Marinette.” He asked him. Plagg looked equally uneasy, though unbeknownst to the blond, it was for a different reason. Tikki hurried to Plagg’s side.

“Chat Noir! We’ve got a problem!”

“You’re… Ladybug’s kwami, right?” Adrien’s eyes widened in a panic. “Where is she? She’s here, right? I can’t save Marinette alone!”

“I’m sorry, Chat Noir.” The red kwami lowered her head. “Ladybug is out of commission for this battle.” She presented the earrings to him. “I’m entrusting you with the Ladybug Miraculous. Find a suitable temporary holder who can deal with the situation.

Adrien paled. He lifted a hand to accept the earrings, but he couldn’t deny the anxiety rising in him. Hawkmoth successfully akumatizing Marinette AND Ladybug being absent for it? He felt sick. Two of the most important girls in his life were in trouble.

He shook his head. Negativity would not help when he was the only hero in play. The earrings were in his hand and he had to accept that he had to fight without his partner-in-crime (Stopping crime? Was being akumatized a crime?). 

“Come on, kid.” Plagg whined. “I know just as well as you do how capable Pigtails is.”

“If Marinette is the akuma, I might need more than a Ladybug holder.” The model frowned.

“We’ll consider it. For now we need a Ladybug to fight with you.”

Adrien sucked in a breath as he called his transformation. Now clad in black leather, he held the jewels tightly in his hand and jumped out the locker room.

* * *

The courtyard was in chaos. Students and faculty alike were struggling against what seemed to be random opponents. Ms Bustier and Mr Damocles were arguing with a professional-looking man. Alix and Kim were covered in bruises and cuts with no sign of who or what caused them. Rose was huddled near a wall, sobbing. A miniature version of Stoneheart, likely Ivan, was just outside. Alya was receiving online backlash and several people had surrounded her, ready to fight the reporter. Max was also surrounded, though the people surrounding him seemed to be mocking him. It was an odd scene of situations with seemingly no connection. 

As green eyes scanned the crowd for someone, Chat noticed something even more odd. A few people were in much lighter situations. Luka was holding an expensive-looking guitar, confused. Nathaniel was also holding expensive items with a similarly confused expression, albeit the items being art supplies rather than an instrument. Kagami was holding an official invitation to a fencing tournament. Yet, in all of their faces, there was a sense of warmth. Like they were being thanked for something they couldn’t remember.

Chat Noir landed next to Kagami. “Excuse me, Miss. You wouldn’t know anything about what’s happening here?”

Kagami looked up at the cat hero and tucked the paper in her pocket. “I don’t know. One moment, everything was okay. Next thing I knew, people were screaming and crying and I was holding an invitation.”

He grinned at her, “Would you mind hearing this cat out?”

Despite his joking tone, the Japanese girl could tell something was off. She pulled Chat by the wrist into the nearest room with a serious gaze, signalling him to continue. The hero held out his hand, showing her two spotted earrings.

“Kagami Tsurugi. This is the Ladybug Miraculous. Ladybug is unable to participate today, but the power of the Ladybug Miraculous is necessary in capturing and purifying the akuma.”

“What? Where’s Ladybug?”

Chat’s expression dropped. He didn’t know Ladybug’s identity, much less know why she wasn’t here. “I don’t know, but the Black Cat Miraculous always works alongside the Ladybug. If you accept the responsibility of being a temporary holder, you have my utmost trust.”

Kagami swallowed, looking between the earrings in his hand and his eyes. Sure, she was not a stranger to the Miraculous. She had been the Dragon before, fighting alongside Ladybug and Chat Noir as Ryuuko, but that was akin to being a side character in a play. There was a sense of doubt in her as she thought about the responsibility of being the main character. She steeled her resolve and took the earrings. “I’ll do it.”

A tiny red creature flew out from behind Chat Noir, which she quickly recognized was Ladybug’s kwami. “Hi! I’m Tikki! The Ladybug Miraculous grants you two abilities: Lucky Charm and Miraculous cure. To transform, just say “Spots On.”

The girl nodded and put both earrings in carefully. “Tikki, Spots On!”

Kagami Tsurugi was replaced by a hero who very closely resembled a Ladybug with some costume changes. Instead of a solid red-and-black polka dot pattern, her forearms and lower legs were black with a tapering red stripe reaching half way through the black. A black triangle cut across her torso from her left shoulder to her right hip. There were less albeit bigger spots on the red parts of the suit and her mask was reminiscent of her time as Ryuuko. 

The black-clad hero held in his awe as he stuck out his hand for a handshake. “Nice to meet you, I’m Chat Noir.”

“Let’s go with Vermillion for now.” Kagami, now Vermillion, returned his gesture with an equally playful smirk.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bakit ba ako nagbabahala sa mundong ito?  
> Nakakapagpabagabag (ba?)  
> Pinilit kong sagipin ngunit sila’y nasakop na ng dilim  
> Nakakapagpabagabag!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translated lyrics:  
> Why am I even bothering with the world?  
> (Is it) Worrisome?  
> I tried to save them but they were swallowed by the darkness  
> It’s worrisome!
> 
> We’ve reached the end! Thank you for reading up to this point. I’m amazed that more that nearly 500 (at the time of this being uploaded) even bothered to click this! Thank you all so much and I hope you and your loved ones are safe!
> 
> P.S that lyric would’ve been better in ch 1/2 good job me =.=

Salpinx enjoyed her new power. She showed people the consequences of their actions, rewarding and punishing them accordingly. Alya received backlash for posting false claims on her blog. Ms Bustier and Mr Damocles were being investigated for neglect and enabling. Kim and Alix learned what would happen if they kept competing in reckless bets. So on, so forth. She smiled to herself as she thought of more ways to punish the guilty. 

“Don’t forget our agreement, Salpinx.” Hawkmoth’s voice sounded through her thoughts. “You are to give me Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous.”

The akuma nodded. “Of course, Hawkmoth.”

She had to keep up her end of the deal. If she didn’t, she’d be no different from the people around her. Salpinx’s cape fluttered with the wind as she flew around the city, leaving chaos and confusion in her wake. The girl was disappointed.

“Oh, Paris. You have a supervillain who takes advantage of bad feelings.” A wail sounded from a nearby window. A girl had been cheating on her boyfriend, so Salpinx covered her body in shallow lacerations. “And yet you are so indifferent, so cruel to each other.”

“Me-ouch.” She turned around to see her partner perched on a roof with her placeholder, quickly recognizing her as Kagami. “Makes you wish they could make it easier on us heroes, huh?” 

With a wave of her hand, the tiles beneath Chat’s feet slipped off, causing the black-clad male to lose his footing. Fortunately for him he jumped to a safe spot before he could fall. 

“You hurt my feelings, Princess.” He held the same toothy smirk he always had. The Ladybug meanwhile looked lost for words, as though she was trying to understand what she was looking at. Salpinx knew that feeling better than anyone else. It hurt, knowing the akuma was someone you knew. Chat felt the same way, but he had perfected hiding that feeling away over the course of many akuma battles against friends and his own father. 

The caped girl wasted no time, scurrying away to gain distance and manifesting a bow in her hand. She shot a sharp arrow at Chat Noir, the projectile leaving behind small black feathers in its path. Chat deflected the arrow as Vermillion swung towards her, thus beginning the chase. Salpinx would distance herself, Chat and Vermillion would follow after her, then Salpinx would shoot to slow them down and jump away. Not once did either of the two heroes wonder what the arrows did, avoiding them in case it did something irreparable.

Every now and then, the arrows would come close to them and, as black feathers zipped past their eyes, a heavy feeling weighed them down for the briefest moment. They felt sluggish as guilt and resent welled up in them before quickly dissipating. 

It became increasingly clear that Salpinx was leading them somewhere. Occasionally she’d run to a different direction, making it difficult to guess where exactly she wanted them, but the familiar surroundings told the amateur heroes they were heading to the Louvre. 

Chat Noir was getting impatient. As the akuma raced up the glass exterior of the museum he ran after her. He scrambled up the sides just as Salpinx perched at the top and got into firing position. Vermillion shouted at him, telling him to move. The Black Cat holder looked up in time to see Salpinx taking aim. With a push of an arm, he moved out of the way, but he was still too slow. The tip of the arrow had left its mark on his cheek and he hissed. 

His head was spinning. His body was heavy. The wound on his cheek burned like hell and it hurt. One by one, his head was filled with dark thoughts. He felt so guilty, so ashamed of himself. The times he let his father down, the time he let his teachers down, the times he let his friends down.

The times he let Ladybug down.

Chat couldn’t tell if he was falling or if that was the effect of the arrow. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t see. All he could feel was the crushing thought that he was never enough and it was incredibly painful. 

“Chat. Chat, look at me.” Ladybug! He wanted to scream for her. The blonde cracked a blurry eye open and saw a familiar spotted heroine. Before his vision could clear he was pulled close as Vermillion dodged another arrow. Chat Noir’s heart sunk. He was dragging his partner down. He was a disappointment. His friends will leave him for someone better.

Wait.

“Hold still, Bug!” Salpinx mockingly cried. “If you keep moving around like that, you might get left behind!”

In his guilt-ridden mind, the thoughts of his friends never appreciating what he’s done was very prominent. As Chat Noir, he was a hero. No one could look at him and not appreciate his work. As Adrien, maybe he disappointed his friends once or twice because of modelling, but he knew for a fact his friends had been very vocal about their appreciation the few times he did them favors. 

A horrible realization dawned on him. These were _Marinette’s_ feelings. Her fears that despite all the sacrifices she made, she wouldn’t be enough. She felt discarded. Adrien felt sick. 

“Chat, I could use the backup.” Vermillion commented, deflecting another arrow with her yoyo.

Chat Noir hurriedly pulled himself together, though he still had slight difficulty breathing. He looked around to try and ground himself. The two heroes were hidden behind a small wall on the roof. Salpinx was still perched on top of the Louvre, watching their position. The knowledge that their Everyday Ladybug held a heavy struggle made his stomach twist in uncomfortable knots. 

“What’s the plan?” He asked his spotted partner. Vermillion looked between her yoyo and their opponent and sucked in a breath. She threw the toy upwards, “Lucky Charm!”

A handkerchief fell in her hands. Vermillion frowned for a moment, “I never did understand how Ladybug could pull this off.”

“It’s part of the fun.” Chat joked, ready to play decoy as always. He jumped back into Salpinx’s range, this time more careful to dodge her shots. Vermillion wrapped the handkerchief around her hand for now, joining Chat Noir in the fight. 

The fight was long and tiresome. Black and red hopped around, avoiding arrows and making their way towards the museum. All Salpinx had to do was take aim and shoot and while her opponents wore themselves out trying to get close to her. There was a thrill in knowing that she could finally see something in herself. Her smile only grew with Hawkmoth’s praise.

“Excellent work, Salpinx. It will not be long until you have their Miraculous.” The girl felt a twisted sense of warmth bloom in her chest. She was strong. She was capable. She was everything she needed to be without the mask. Her good mood quickly turned to annoyance.

“Chat, split!” On Vermillion’s orders, the Ladybug and Black Cat dashed in opposite directions. Salpinx couldn’t afford to focus on one and get caught off guard. She fired alternating shots, trying to formulate a plan to deal with them both. The two heroes lined themselves up with her right in the middle. 

Chat Noir called for his Cataclysm and ran up the side sloped glass wall of the Louvre, grabbing Salpinx’s attention. Vermillion, though a bit slower, also ascended up the museum, so Salpinx was forced to jump back, preparing to fire another arrow at Chat. Something wrapped around her eyes just as she was about to shoot.

* * *

It was dark. Crushingly so. Marinette couldn’t tell if her eyes were closed or not. She couldn’t move her body. In a way, she didn’t want to. She liked her current state, floating around in what felt like a viscous darkness. She felt like she was going along with the flow, but still in control because she chose to stay like that. She felt…. colorless. It was nice.

But it was cold. And lonely. And she didn’t like that. Little by little, some color returned to her skin. Everything after that happened in a flash. More color bloomed on her clothes, in her hair, in her eyes, until she recognized herself as Marinette. She could somewhat move her arms in the honey-like substance she was floating in, and then she was pulled out of it, like something had dried around her and she was removed from the mess. Everything grew warm. She smelt something familiar. She was in someone’s arms. Her senses were coming back.

And then, she opened her eyes.

Chat Noir was holding her. An unfamiliar hero sat close by with a relieved smile. Something welled up within her and tears soon rolled down soft cheeks. She hugged Chat tightly, sobbing into the leather of his shoulders. The unfamiliar hero joined them, albeit a bit awkwardly. All the while, Chat ran his fingers through Marinette’s hair. 

“Chat… I’m so sorry…” 

“Shhh… Princess, I know you tried to hold on by yourself.” His voice cracked. The blonde rested his head in the crook of her neck and sniffled. “I’m sorry… I should’ve helped you.”

They were interrupted by the beep of the Ladybug’s earrings. The red heroine pulled away with a sheepish smile. “Looks like I have to go. Can you pick up the earrings later, Chat?”

Chat nodded, watching Vermillion swing away. He scooped up the puffy-eyed girl and escorted her home, carefully climbing in through the skylight. He had just laid Marinette down when a beep sounded from his ring. 

“Looks like I’ll have to go for now, Princess.” He turned to leave, only to feel a tug on his arm. Marinette still seemed a little shaken, but she held a small smile for him. “Thank you for everything.”

A playful grin decorated his features and he left with a two-fingered salute. Tired from everything that happened, Marinette got changed and climbed into bed for an early sleep.

* * *

The next day, things had changed. Kagami was waiting for Marinette by the school gate. The Japanese girl was a bit more confident in her demeanor, taking Marinette’s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. She was grateful for the gesture and squeezed back. 

They chatted for a short bit as they made her way to Marinette’s classroom. Kagami left with a promise to eat lunch together and the baker girl entered the room, noticeably startled by the heavy atmosphere. Lila was absent, which was always good for her, but her classmates wore pensive expressions. She settled in her seat at the back, greeted by Nathaniel with a comforting smile. She glanced at Juleka, who gave a response similar to the artist’s. 

The teacher who walked in was not Ms Bustier. The man introduced himself as their substitute until the school could hire a suitable replacement for their homeroom teacher while she was being reviewed. Mr Damocles was also being reviewed and was replaced by Ms Mendeleev. Marinette sighed; she did like them, but she knew it was for the better.

Everyone else froze up when the substitute said Lila would no longer be joining their class. Technically, she was still a student of the school, but for reasons he could not disclose, she would not be attending classes.

When lunch rolled in, Kagami and Marinette met up in the courtyard to eat. They were enjoying a funny story the latter had brought up when her phone rang.

“Mari! I need your help for something.” Jagged Stone’s voice sounded casual, but there was a sense of distress. “Could you come testify for us? I can have Penny pick you up on the weekend.”

She almost choked. “Testify? What’s going on?”

“Clara and I were gonna sue this girl for slandering us.” The rocker growled. “I would’ve been arrested if it wasn’t for Ladybug fixing everything! Our lawyers were getting evidence to use when they found video clips of you allegedly bullying her! I know how rock and roll you are, Marinette. Come prove those clips wrong!”

The girl could only mutter a squeaky agreement before Jagged basically shouted his gratitude and ended the call. Her friend wore an amused expression. 

“I’ll assume that was about Lila?”

“Yeah… how’d you know?”

Kagami let out a huff of satisfaction, “She had it coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not trying to imply any ships here sorry
> 
> By the way, in case anyone’s wondering, Jagged was arrested. That never changed. Everyone in Paris was suddenly being “punished” somehow and that’s when some people involved realized something was off about the allegation, so when they looked for the song he supposedly wrote after the cure, it was gone. He was cleared and the case was closed.
> 
> Until he decided to press charges, that was :3c


End file.
